Once Upon a Time
by DeansAngel77
Summary: A little girl is found in a closet, the only survivor to a horrible murder, both her parents ripped to pieces. When asked who did it, all she could say was: the big bad wolf. She was saved by a man with a scraggly beard and smelled of beef jerky and he was kind enough to take her to his house. Having just lost his wife and no kids of his own, the gruff hunter quickly falls in love
1. Chapter 1

**Skylar Banks:** 22 years old, long chesnut hair that is at times unruly all over her head. Five foot two and petite but muscular. Has crystal blue eyes, nose ring and several earrings long her lobes. She lost her mother and father when she was just 10 years old. Grew attached to Bobby Singer and the older hunter gave her a home. Becomes good friends with Bobby's niece, Hailey Singer. She is book smart and is a quick learner. Some would say it was a gift, but Skylar knows its much more complex than that. All her life, she has been able to "read" people and seems to know when danger is about to arrive. Some would even call her powers, witchcraft, a word that Skylar has grown to hate.

 **Hailey Singer:** Brown hair, blue eyes and five foot eight. She is a bookworm and has gone to college to study computers. Only living relative of Bobby Singer. She was just ten years old when her father disappeared, never to be found again. Her mother had lone since been in the grave, a product of her birth. When Skylar comes to live with them, she takes the younger girl under her wing and becomes a sister to her. She is a self-proclaimed book worm and her and Sam plan on somehow leaving this life behind them.

 **Dean Winchester:** Tries to be a good solider for his Dad and hopes to one day become like him. Because of this loyalty, Dean turns his back on Skylar. When it becomes clear that something is blossoming between him and Skylar, he gives her the cold shoulder. When Sam runs away with Hailey to college, its Dean's responsibility to help his dad find and kill the demon that killed his mother.

 **Sam Winchester:** Is tired of the hunting life and the riff it has caused between the two Younger Winchesters. Dean resents Sam for not being full hearted in the hunter lifestyle, instead, Sam dreams of going ot college and becoming a lawyer. Sam befriends Hailey and the two hash out a plan that will take them far away from the death that surronds them. But when Skylar is charged with a horrible crime, Sam must swallow his hurt and anger and reach out to his brother.

 **Bobby Singer:** After loosing his wife, he becomes a hermit. When John Winchester is hurt on a hunt and Bobby saves him, the two become fast friends. With that relationship, came two wild and ruly boys who he called his nephews. When a hunt prevented them from going with their dad, Bobby would take them in as long as he felt it necessary. After rescuing Skylar, Bobby comes to love the little girl and welcomes her into his home. Try as he might to prevent it, Bobby is annoyed to see the growing attraction between Skylar and Dean. He has to watch as Skylar's heart is broken by Dean and she runs away never to be heard from again.


	2. Chapter 2

At the edge of town, near the train tracks, set a sad state of a house. Back in the 1950s, it had been considered the nicest house in Greeley. What was once pristine white paint, was now peeling along the sides. Once prized roses were placed along the sidewalk, now they lay dead and withered. The lawn once vibrant green, was no brown and patchy.

Inside this house, in the far upstairs bedroom, slept a little girl who just turned 7. She was lying on her right side, her hands tucked under her head. Her dark blond hair tumbled around her face, the ends blown by her small breath.

She paused as she heard a noise coming from downstairs and she frowned. Her father was home drunk, she could tell by the way he was yelling.

Her small body to began to shiver as she feared she would get caught for being up way past her bedtime. Her father was very strict and Skylar hated being on his bad side. More yelling, this time it was getting closer. She sucked in her breath as she heard the creak of the stairs that were just a step away from her door.

She noticed the long shadow snake its way under the crack of the door and she held her breath. Her blonde hair shook on her head as she tried to hold her breath because somehow she knew he was waiting for some kind of noise. Her lungs began to ache and she wasn't sure how much longer she could hold her breath. Her sapphire blue eyes closed and she felt the room pitch and sway. A fire just below her belly button began and it quickly spread along her body.

Then she heard a scream. It was her father and she never heard him make that sound before. She heard a snarl, a growl and the snap of teeth and an inhuman scream filled the house. Skylar wasn't sure it that was her screaming..or her father...

The bedroom door opened and Skylar threw the covers off of her head, quickly brushing the chestnut curls from her face and opened her eyes to see her mother standing above her bed. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and clutched the book to her chest, the tale of vampires could wait just a bit longer. "Mom?"

Her mother yanked the covers off of her, scooping her up out of the bed. Something about her mannerisms scared the little girl. Her mom seemed scared, which was odd. Her mother always seemed to be the brave one. She was the one who checked her closest for monsters.

"Skyler," her mother opened the closet door and sat her inside. "I need you to stay here, OK? Please be quiet." Her mother knelt on her knees, taking the Skylar into her arms. She felt the wetness as her tear dropped on the little girls head. She felt her mother kiss her head . "OK? We're gonna play a game..OK? You need to be quiet for me."

Skylar was a little old for these childish games, but the look on her mother's face was scaring her. Her mother was her rock, she was never scared. So just this once, she'll play along. "Like hide and seek."

"Yes,"Her mother paused as there was a sound coming from downstairs. She smiled at the little girl and closed the bedroom door.

She sat in the closet, her eyes wide. Her small hands were clasped tightly against her head, trying to drown out the sounds. Snarls, and growls, a click of nails on her bedroom floor. She took in a huge breath as she saw a shadow pass by the door and then stop. She held in the scream, waiting for the door to be yanked open and be devoured by this horrid beast. Where was her Mom? She had heard her yelling for her, but now it was quiet. She saw the feet of the creature, long, curved nails clicked out a cadence. It was looking for her. She could hear it sniffing.

Just that evening, she had curled against her mothers side, smelling her lavender scented body splash, and her smooth voice reading the fairy tale. The big bad wolf coming to eat the little girl. Skylar listened, her eyes wide as she looked at the pictures in the book. The big black dog was like one she had seen before. One line bounced around in her head as she shivered inside the closet.

" **Little pig, little pig, let me come in."**

" **No, no, by the hair of my chiny chin chin."**

" **Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in.** "

She hugged her knees tight against her chest, her arms holding onto them so tight and her face buried between her knees and squeezing her eyes shut. She remembered a mantra her grandmother once taught her when she was just five. The little girl suffered from nightmares so intense, she woke up screaming. So her Nana would quote to her:

" **Fear, fear you are not my friend...fear, fear, fear you are the end."**

She put a hand over her ears as she heard a blood curdling scream and then the snarl of something big. Skyler squeezed her eyes shut, her breath held tight. She was afraid to even breath.

Then there was silence. She could hear the blood rushing in her ears as she struggled to hear what was going on outside that closet door. Small shaky hands reached for the doorknob, only to find it jerked open. The little girl let out a scream as two men stood before her. The one with the dark hair, rugged beard and dark brown eyes, knelt down to her level and extended his hand out to her.

"Hey there...I got a son just about your age." He smiled at her as he took out his wallet and opened it up. He took out a picture and showed it to her. "See? We are the good guys, OK?" The photo was of the man before her and two boys, one near her age and the other one a little older. They both had fishing poles in their hands and smiles on all their faces.

Her blue eyes widened and she hugged her knees closer to her as she struggled to trust him. She finally nodded and took the man's hand. He lifted her up off the floor and she put her head into his shoulder, not wanting to see the carnage around her.


	3. Chapter 3: Little Green Men

Skylar was quiet as the man with the scraggly beard carried her away from her house. The night was a little chilly, so the man that was behind them took off his red and black plaid coat and placed it over Skylar. Big blue eyes stared at the man with the beard and truckers cap, watching him as he smiled at her. She couldn't quite place where she had seen this man before, but an image of him sitting next to her bed, a book in his hand and his deep voice lulling her to sleep. That memory was false, Sklyar was sure of it, but all the same, it seemed real to her.

They walked a few blocks down her street and Skylar was surprised that not a single cop or ambulance had been dispatched to her home. She chanced a look and turned her head to see her house that sat on the hillside. It looked normal, but then again, what did she expect it too look like? As she watched the house, she squinted as she watched as the it shimmered and pulsed. She shook her head and noticed they had approached a black car that was parked under the dark shadow of the large oak tree. Her body shivered as she saw the shadows, her body tensed.

The man carrying her must have felt her shiver, because he quickened his pace and they were at the car a minute later.

As he sat her down, the passenger door creaked open and Skylar turned to face the new comer. He was a boy a few years older than her, with dark spikey hair, a leather jacket that was several sizes too large for him and a sneer on his face. His lip curled upward as he looked her over and then turned his back on her as he got back into the passenger door.

The boy that came out of the passenger side back door, however, was a little bit more friendly. He was her age and his mousey brown hair was tousled all over his head. He was the same height as her and his dark eyes held the same smile of the man who saved her. She turned her head to see that the man was talking to _Trucker Cap._ They were standing in front of the car and she knew that she shouldn't be able to hear them, the noise from the freeway was too loud. As she watched their lips move, she was certain she could hear them whishphering about her.

" _Bobby, this isn't right. We can't take her."_

" _What else we gonna do John? Huh? Can't leave her here. Her mother died a year ago and her grandmother is in a nursing home and her only family is lying in that house torn to shreds."_

That was impossible, her mother wasn't dead! Her mother was the one who tucked her in at night and read her stories. Her mother was the one who would always open the closet door and squirt "monster" spray into the closest. Her mother was the one that came to her and told her to go into that very closet. She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned to see the younger boy standing behind her. She quickly looked around to see that she was against the huge oak tree, her back up against it, but how did she get here? And why was the car down the hill? She realized that she was out of breath, her lungs and legs ached, as if she had been running.

"Hey, are you OK?"

Skylar held her breath and slowly let it out and nodded at the same time. "I...Yes..."

The boy smiled at her and extended his hand. "We weren't formally introduced." He placed a hand on his chest and smiled at her. "My name is Sam." He then took his finger and pointed down the hill where the older boy stood, his face red as he glared at them. From where she was standing, she could see the blood coming from his lip. "And that's Dean. My brother."

She looked at Sam, than at the boy slowly coming up towards the tree. She noticed that John and that other guy were down by the car, but why weren't they coming to her? "W..what happened?"

Sam extended his hand and gently closed his fingers in a come hither motion. "It's OK Skylar." She felt the first wave of nausea hit her as he gently touched her fingers. The ground pitched and swayed underneath her as the smell of burning flesh hit her nostrils. She gagged and coughed as the smoke entered her lungs and she was praying for that sweet smell of oxygen. She felt her knees buckle underneath her and then the ground came up to meet her in a sickening crunch.

****  
The low rumble of a powerful engine is what woke her. Skylar realized her head was on the glass of the backseat and it was very quiet in the car. She moved her eyes to the left and noticed the two boys in the back seat with her, both asleep. John was teh one driving, his left hand on the steering wheel and quietly humming along to the radio.

Her hand was on the metal of the arm rest and she noticed something was poking her ring finger. She looked down and moved her hand out of the way to see a single army man stuffed into the ashtray, his bayonet pointing upwards. This is what had poked her.

"Deanplaced that there a few years ago. Haven't had the heart to take it out."

Skylar jumped as the deep voice startled her and she noticed John was smiling at her from the rear view mirror. Even as he told her who put that there, a memory wormed its way into her mind.

She could hear a giggle and then the passenger door opened and a small boy slid into the leather seat, his mousy brown hair plastered to his face. In his hands was a small army man and she watched as he slid over the bench seat to the back where she was currently sitting. She glanced back down at the ash tray just as the little fingers slid it open and crammed the army man into the tray. "There," She mouthed, "Now Sam will never find you.

She looked down at her finger to see a tiny red dot. "Why don't you come up here. Thought you and I could have a little chat."

She looked from her finger to see that John had pulled over onto the side of the road and he was facing her. Something about the look on his face, told her she could trust this man. She nodded and moved her leg over the top of the seat as she slid down into the coolness of the leather.

"I know this is a lot to take in and I know you are probably scared." He moved his eyes from the road to look at her as she watched the scenery fly by the window. He waited for some kind of answer and she realized this by his silence. When she turned to look at him, he was holding the same gaze between her and the road. "But we are here to help you Skylar. That man back there, the one with the cap?" Skylar nodded and John put his attention back towards the road. "He's going to take you in for a bit. OK?"

Skylar looked down at the small prick in her finger and felt as if someone was watching her. She turned her head to see that the older brother was staring at her, his jade green eyes were studying her with such curiosity. She noticed the small cut on his lip making a point to ask him later if she did that or not. Sometimes when she was angry, she could black out and when she would wake up, bad things had happened. Is that what happened to her father? Was she the one responsible for his death? She rubbed her finger over her wound and settled into the seat and quickly felt her lids flutter shut.


	4. Chapter 4: What Goes Bump In The Night?

**What Goes Bump in the Night? (Twelve years Later)**

She sat in the back of the cop car, trying to remain as small as possible. This jack ass of a cop had already made sexual advances on her and she was pissed. If she could somehow get out of these handcuffs, she'd make him pay. It took but a second for the burning pain to start in her stomach and she squeezed her eyes shut, blocking out any emotions she had at that moment. She looked through the window to see her reflection and it shocked her to see how much hate was on her face. She shook her head and her glossy black hair moved out of her face. As she watched the scenery whiz past the window, she thought back to the moment that brought her in this cop car.

Skye Banks did not want to go on the camping trip. She preferred to just sit around the house and read the new novel she had gotten several weeks ago. She needed to spring clean and organize her apartment. She could think of a thousand more reasons why not to go on the camping trip. She did not want to be around Jennifer and her current boyfriend. She did not want to be faced with the hard facts. She was single. She was 22 years old, a dead end job as a receptionist at a local Vet clinic, crappy car that was falling apart and no boyfriend. No husband. No potential husband. Single, but not for the lack of trying.

At five foot three, Skye was 105 pounds of pistol. Her hair was died black, which accentuated her crystal blue eyes. Her features in her face were small, her lips full. Her delicate nose was pierced with a small hoop that sat on her left nostril. She was slim, but muscular.

So here Skye sat, in the back seat of her friends SUV, hurtling towards the wilderness, away from the comforts of home. She was just thankful she packed enough Scotch. This was going to be a long weekend.

'Come on Skye" Joe smiled at her from the rear view mirror. Skye tore her gaze away from him, not liking the way he looked at her. Almost perverted. Dirty. "It'll be fun!"

Skye sighed and crossed her arms over her chest and looked out at the scenery that flew by. The sun was fading as Joe turned off the main road. The dirt road was paved for the first 100 feet, than a sign told them that after this point, it was a primitive road.

Skye put her hand on the roof of the Jeep, trying not to smack her head as they finally arrived at the camping spot. She opened the door, stepping onto pine needles. The trees swayed as the wind blew, making a creaking sound. She turned to Jennifer. "Can we get any more off the grid?"She shivered and tightened her black zip up black jacket, feeling something ominous about the dark woods.

Jennifer gave her a look, rolling her eyes to Joe and mouthed. "Don't ruin this! This might be the weekend!"

Skye took the tie from her wrist and scooped her long, black hair into a ponytail, wrapping the tie around the tresses. She put a hand on her slim hips. "Well..I'm going for a walk."

When Skye got back from her walk, both tents were up and Joe had managed to get a fire going. Him and Jennifer were sitting near the fire. Joe smiled at her and reached over, handing her a lit refer.

"Good stuff." He said while trying to hold his breath.

Skye put her hands up. "No..thank you."

Joe smiled and took a huge hit and blew out the smoke. "More for us." He looked over to see Jennifer was just staring at the fire. He laughed. "She's blitzed."

Jennifer smiled. "Well, I think I'm heading in, you coming Joe?"

Skye felt a lump in her throat and she silently wished that he would say yes, that he would go in Jennifer's tent and just leave her alone. But she knew that wasn't going to happen.

Joe took a sip of his beer and slid a smile over to Skye. "No, I think I'm going to stay up for a bit, keep her company."

Skye leaned over and opened the cooler and put her hands on a can of beer, when she heard something behind her. She sat up and turned in her chair, her eyes scanning the thick forest of trees behind her. The moon hadn't rose yet, making the night even darker. She turned her head to see Joe was slumped in his chair, his can of beer in his hand and thankfully not a lewd or crass remark coming from his mouth. Maybe this weekend was going to be her lucky break.

Skye sighed and slumped down in her chair, sliding the hoodie over her hair, her hand stuffed inside the pocket. As she dozed, she felt warm breath on her face and her nose scrunched as she smelled rotten eggs. In sleep fogged brain, she was giggling at the fact that they had brought rotten eggs. She should have lobbied for the farmer's market they passed a few miles down the road. Or was it farther than that.

 _Snap!_

She was instantly awake and she fell forward to get up, when she felt the burning pain behind her shoulders, snaking up the back of her neck and across her scalp. Damn, she was going to feel that in the morning. Her feet were on the ground and she straightened her body, trying to figure out what she just heard. Something had snapped on a twig and it wasn't a squirrel. As loud as that sound was, it was something heavy. She could feel the entity just a few hundred yards in front of her, she could see the yellow of its eyes as the dying fire flickered in them. What ever that damn thing was, it was huge.

The biggest damn black dog that she had ever seen slowly padded its way to her and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Its fur was matted around its body, its ice blue eyes never left hers as it moved past her. It licked its lips around its massive head and then turned to face Joe who was snoozing in the chair. His pants were loose around his hips, his belt hanging open, the zipper and the buttons undone. He had pretty much passed out as he advanced himself on her.

It had happened so fast, Skylar didn't have time to fight her him off of her. He got up so fast, his camp chair clanged to the ground and that had been her only warning. He reached down and grabbed her by the throat, yanking her up from the chair. She was certain his eyes slid dark as he slammed her to the ground, knocking the breath and the will out of her.

Her body was still aching as she watched the dog crouch down, the matted fur standing up along its haunches and a loud, long snarl coming from the mouth.

There was so much blood. Skylar stood there in shock as she watched the huge animal pounce on Joe, knocking him to the ground. At first, there had been a lot of screaming coming from the man, but when the dog grabbed him by throat, it became gurgled. She felt the warmth and the coppery smell as it splashed on her.

That is how a passing motorist found her, stumbling along the road, covered in blood. Skylar was certain she looked horrible as she screamed at the man to stop. Thankfully, he did.

* * *

Somewhere on the back stretch of an unfamiliar highway, Dean Winchester finally gave into the heavy eye lids and pulled over onto the side. It was a small unpaved road and as the Impala's shocks were put to the test by the potholes, he pulled out of view under the shade of a huge oak tree. He needed some sleep. What he needed was a nice good burger, some ice cold beer, maybe a hot waitress and a nice comfy bed. But the front seat of the Impala would have to do for now. He turned off the engine of his pride and joy and leaned back in the leather seat, closing his eyes as he folded his arms across his chest. He had spent the past month trying to track down his little brother, but it was if he vanished off the face of the earth. Dean had taught him too well because there were no credit card traces. If Sam was trying to fall off the face of the earth, he had succeeded, because it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Just a few hours. Dean told himself as he closed his eyes. That's all the seasoned hunter would ever need, just a few hours and he would be good as new. With his feet propped up on the driver's side window, his leather jacket propped up under his head, Dean Winchester listened to the rustle of the oak leaves.

It seemed he had just fallen asleep when he felt the vibration of his phone coming from the passenger seat next to him. On such a quiet road any sound of that nature would be earth shattering. He let out a string of curse words as he fumbled for the phone, groaning against the burn along his neck and shoulders. His hand finally clasped the metallic surface that had been sitting on the dash board. He sat up and blinked the sleep out of his eyes. As he adjusted to the lack of lighting, he realized the sun was beginning to set. So he had slept longer than he thought. He flipped open the phone and frowned as he realized it wasn't the number he had been hoping for.

"Bobby, what's the good word?" Dean's husky voice was gruff from not talking to anyone in a while. It was kinda lonely just him and the road. He hadn't realized what kind of void Sammy left in his life. He was so eager to talk to someone, he didn't give the man any time to say hello.

"Got a job for ya Dean."

"I told you Bobby, I ain't doing any jobs." Dean sighed as he laid his head back in the seat, feeling a headache coming on. Five long weeks on the road was taking its toll, but Dean was on mission. Aside from trying to get his brother out of college, Dean was looking for someone. So far, that certain someone was still alive. For now. Five longs years he had been searching and he was almost close.

"Dean...it's about Skylar."

Dean's headache was instantly gone as he sprang forward in the seat, his hand automatically on the ignition. He was one on one with his car, knowing how fast it would take him from the moment he started the engine and onto the main road.

"W..what about Skylar?" Dean closed his eyes waiting for the news. Being a hunter for this long, Dean knew it never ended happily. It wasn't a matter of _if_ Skylar was dead, but _when._

"She's..." Bobby let out a sigh. "She's been arrested."

"Arrested?" Dean's hand went slack on the key. "For what?"

"It's best if you meet me at the morgue in Greeley. How far you from there?"

"I'm just outside of Lubbock. I can be there in two hours."

After ending the call, Dean tossed the phone onto the passenger seat and turned over the huge, powerful engine. He revved it a few times and in a plume of dirt and gravel, the car fishtailed onto the main highway.


	5. Chapter 5: The Lost Girl

The fluorescent lights burned her eyes, making her head pound. She closed her eyes as the room began to pitch and spin. Her side was throbbing and when she wen to roll over, she noticed her wrists were tied to the bed in a pair of leather straps. She wanted to scream, she could feel the fear deep inside of her and she was afraid of what that would cause.

Joe was dead and maybe Jennifer. She wasn't certain of that poor girls fate, but she hoped it hadn't been the same as Joe's death.

With her eyes closed, she could "hear" the hospital, the screams and groans of the patients along the hallway. She could feel their sadness, their anger their pain.

"Glad to see you are awake Ms. Banks." Her eyes flew open as she heard the deep voice and noticed a man standing in the doorway. From his blue scrubs and white lab coat, she assumed he was a doctor here. But that prickling along the back of her neck was telling her otherwise.

She closed her eyes, hoping the dull ache behind her eyes would just go away. She wasn't sure if she had fallen or not, it was all a blur to her. She had flashes of her running through the woods, screaming."W..where am I?" Her voice was hoarse and her throat felt as if she swallowed needles.

"Greeley Medical Center." He smiled at her as he walked further into the room and pulled the green curtain behind him. He reached into the front pocket of his white coat and pulled out a pen. "How are we feeling this morning?"

Skylar turned her body to where she was lying on her back and lifted her wrists up, but they could only go an inch because of the straps. "Mind telling me what these are for?"

His smile slipped a moment and then he quickly recovered. He pulled the chart out from the foot of her bed and flipped it open. "You've been a little combative to our staff. It's just a precaution."

"W..when can I leave?" She swallowed against the knives in her throat.

"That my dear." He slammed the file shut and placed it back into its slot. "Depends on how you do in therapy today. Give us some information and we might talk about letting you go."

* * *

She sat in the chair, trying to make herself as small as possible. Her knees were tucked into her chest, her arms wrapped around her knees and she was nibbling on the tip of her nail. Her black hair that was streaked with purple fell around her face but she chose not to push them away. Because if she did, she would see the man sitting behind the desk.

He resembled a weasel to her. His facial features were long and pointy, his eyes beady and dark. His hair was slicked back from his face and his lip was pulled into a sneer. She could feel his displeasure with her and she knew he was thinking of all the ways he could torture her. This man loved to make her scream. Her arms were covered with needle pricks as he tried to drug her into submission.

She had stopped looking at him three minutes ago, when she was sure his face had contorted into some grotesque image. His already point features seemed to stretch and his mouth grew wider.

"Ms. Banks, this is a complete waste of my time." He let out a heavy sigh and threw the folder onto the desk. "How long have you been here? A week? And I have yet to have any kind of confession from you..."

"I told you." Skylar hissed as she moved her blue eyes up to look at the man. She saw him flinch as she glared at him. "I told you what happened."

The man had been sitting back in the expensive leather chair, his long leg folded over his right, his fingers underneath his pointy chin. His fake smile trembled as he leaned forward and opened the folder. "Ahh...yes..your claim that some wild animal did it...then how do you explain the blood we found on you? And there were no animal prints around the scene."

Skylar shrugged her shoulders and moved her feet into the chair. She tossed her dark hair out of her face and she sneered at the man. "I don't give a fuck if you believe me or not. I know what happened! I was there! You weren't."

The man didn't flinch as Skylar yelled at him, instead he slowly leaned back in his chair and assumed his position as earlier. To Skylar, he looked like some kind of insect. Like a praying mantis. She shivered as the face shimmered into the evil she knew this man was.

"Mr. Richards, I'm sorry to bother you. But..but there are two detectives here. They have some questions for Ms. Banks."

Doctor Richards kept his dark eyes on Skylar as he leaned forward and pressed the intercom that was on the phone. "Thank you Katrina. You can actually tell the two detectives to come on back."

When he turned to face Skylar she was up on her feet with a letter opener in her hand. He laughed and slowly stood up from the chair. "And what are you going to do with that Ms. Banks? Hmm..."

Skylar stood in front of the desk her body shaking as she tightened her grip on the sliver weapon. She wasn't sure what was making her do this, but an image was coming into her mind. They were going to kill her.

"Skylar," Jonathan Richardson put up his hands as he slowly walked around the desk, his dark eyes locked on hers. The blue orbs were wide with fear. "Put that down, OK? Do not do this..."

"I didn't do this!" Skylar screamed as she heard the knock on the wooden door. She jumped up on the desk and griped the opener tighter in her hand.

Her body trembled as she raised her head to look at the doctor, her blue eyes grew darker as she glared at him. With a snarl from her lips, she jumped from the desk and tackled him to the ground. She may have been small, but adrenaline was pumping through her veins, giving her the strength she needed. She raised her hand up and plunged it down screaming as the blade sank into the neck.

Her feet slipped into the blood as she quickly grabbed the keys from inside the lab coat and yanked the door open. She stumbled backwards as she came into contact with a tall man with dark spiky hair. When she bumped into him, Skylar tumbled backwards and his hands snaked around her waist to keep her from tumbling into the wall.

Skylar was on flight or fight mode, she knew this hospital wasn't what it seemed and no one could be trusted. In a blind rage, she instinctively swung her hands forward and came into contact with a strong jaw line. She was oblivious to the pain.

"Son of a bitch!"

"Skylar Rose Banks!"A deep, husky voice echoed through the small hallway.

The powerful hands let her small body go and she stood back, her fists up at chest length. She was ready to go at it again if he came at her again. This is when she got her first look at her "attacker." and her hands slowly moved down an inch. She titled her head and took a good look at the man before her.

As her rage went down a notch, she blinked her eyes a few times as he slid her a sideways smile. She then turned and noticed the other man not two far behind this one. His dark, thinning hair was slicked back and she hardly recognized him without his signature truckers cap and plaid shirt. That said shirt was sent packing by the cheap blue suit he was wearing. His forehead was creased in worry as he took a step towards her.

"U..uncle Bobby...?" Her voice was just a whisper as she looked at the older man as he stepped around the youngest one. As her rage disappeared, she noticed that her hands were wrapped around something hard. In shock, she looked down at her hands and let out a gasp. She flung the bloodied letter open and it clattered to the floor as her hands flew to her mouth. "OH...god..what did I do?"

"Skylar," Bobby Singer slowly walked towards Skylar, his hands out in front of him. "We need to get you out of here."

Skylar shook her head as she looked up at the two men, her eyes staying with the man with the jade green eyes just a few seconds longer. "I..killed him..."

"Skylar," the husky voice made her look at him and she shivered. "We will figure all of that out..but right now...we have to get you out of here." Dean Winchester slowly moved his hand out to him and slowly placed them on her right hand, feeling her body trembling.


	6. Chapter 6

Crystal blue eyes flew open, a hand clutched to a heaving chest, the heart beating hard against the palm and a deep rumble vibrated along her body.

It took her a few seconds to realize what that sound was. A throaty rumble of a powerful car. From the sounds of it, she concluded that it was a classic chevy. She had a boyfriend that had a been a mechanic and he showed her the ins and the outs of every single car that was made.

The interior was dark and she squinted to see who the two men in the front seat were. She had seen the silhouette of the two men when she had opened her eyes.

She felt something heavy on her small body and she looked down at her attire She was wearing a very worn leather jacket, faded in several spots. As she brought the jacket to her noses, she smelled the masculine smell encased in the leather. She took a moment to memorize that smell: gun oil, leather and spicy soap. She was confused to where she was, her mind a blank canvas. Then like a bolt of lighting, she remembered the hospital. She had killed someone.

She slowly moved her head to look around the back seat for any kind of weapon.

her fingers finding what appeared to be a canvas bag.. She nervously licked her lips as she moved her fingers along the fabric, feeling the cold metal of the zipper.

She paused as the driver shifted in his seat and she held her breath. Music came from the stereo and she closed her eyes in relief. She slowly moved the zipper down the track, looking up at the passenger. His head was against the window, a tattered trucker cap lay sideways on his head and small snores came from his mouth. He was asleep.

She looked up when the driver began to lightly drum the steering wheel with his fingers. She wasn't sure how she knew that she would find a weapon in this bag. It was like a sixth sense of sorts.

When the bag finally opened, she reached in side. She felt several pairs of jeans, T shirts and some other stuff she wasn't sure of. Was that a flask? She counted three. Her heart hammered loudly as she was afraid she wasn't going to find anything.

Then she found it. A small pistol lying in the bottom of the bag, a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. She was very skilled in marksmanship, an ex boyfriend had taught her. He had been a sniper in the Marines and he was perfect at teaching her.

She pulled the pistol out of the bag and placed her hands around it, slowly cocking back the trigger. The driver stiffened when he heard the click.

"Don't' move." Skylar said with gritted teeth. She placed the gun into the back of the seat. "I have a gun pointed in the seats. One wrong move and I will shoot you in the gut."

The driver slammed on his brakes and Skylar lurched forward, hitting her head on the back of the seat. She reached for her nose, dropping the gun on the floorboard. With a ricocheting sound, the gun fired, exiting through the back door. With a loud crash, the back window exploded on her, cutting her skin.

"Son of a bitch" The driver roared.

With a cry, the back door was yanked open and she was grabbed around her T shirt and tossed onto the hard ground, the breathe exhaling from her lips.

"Dean! Stand down!"

Skylar swayed on her feet, feeling the ground beneath her pitch and swim. _Dean? No..._ She placed her hands behind her, feeling them sink into the mud, and tried to stand on her feet. When she stumbled, a hand wrapped around her wrist and she let out a scream as an image exploded behind her eyes.

 _Snarling, snapping and growling. All around her and she couldn't pin point where the noise was coming from. Motion behind her caused her to turn and when she did, she felt the icy grip of fear as it clutched her stomach. A huge black dog stood behind her, the hackles on its shoulders raised up, black lips curled back which showed off a pair of long fangs. It snapped its jaws and lunged forward, causing her to tumble backwards._

With a bored sigh, Hailey Singer slowly moved the white dish towel around in circles. Her eyes were not on that rag, but instead, they were locked on the window that was across from the diner's counter. A few patrons were scattered about the diner, quietly eating the remains of their breakfast. Usually Hailey loved it slow, but today, her focus was on that window.

For a week straight, 12 o'clock, she watched as a tall man with shaggy brown hair, pace back and forth in front of the mirror. Every time, without fail, he would walk to the door, place his hand on the brass doorknob and pause. Just when she thought he would turn that handle, he would quickly turn from it and with quick, long steps, walk away from the diner.

Today, that ritual would be no more. Hailey was waiting for him to appear and she glanced over her shoulder at the clock. She had five minutes.

She slid her hands around to the back of the apron and with a tug of the strings, she tossed the apron on to the surface of the counter.

"Excuse me, Mis."

Hailey rolled her eyes as she turned to the man that had approached the counter with a cup in his hand. "Can I help you?" Her eyes darted to the window to see him standing on the sidewalk, his hands stuffed into the brown courdory jacket he was wearing. The ends of his shaggy brown hair blew around his face and he didn't attempt to brush them away from his face.

"Can I get another refill?"

Hailey grabbed the mug from the older gentlemen, filled it with coffee and handed it back to him. By the time she threw open the glass door, he was already to the intersection, his long legs hard to keep up with.

"Sam Winchester!" Hailey was out of breath as she caught up with him at the pedestrian signal. "You just gonna walk away with out coming inside and saying hello to me?"

"So, lets get this all out here and see what the hell we are dealing with!" Dean

Winchester paused his pacing to see Skylar was still passed out on the bed, her slow breathing too quiet to be heard. Since the fiasco with the gun,, Dean's mind had been constantly running in circles. But it always came down to the same question. What the hell happened at that campsite?

Dean had met Bobby at the morgue and followed him into the autopsy room. The morgue attendenat gave them the vague details. Was found cut to death by some kind of unknown weapon. Cuts were along the chest, the face and the mans throat had been ripped apart. The woman assumed it had been post mortem by some kinds of animals that were scavenging.

As she left them with the body, Bobby took the sheet and yanked it off the body.

The body that had lay on the cold metal table, would have been considered handsome at one point in his life. Dark blonde hair was matted with blood and the once sharp features were interrupted by three long, deep slashes.

Bobby had pointed out something white that had been glistening in what used to be the mans throat. It was a claw. Things were starting to not add up and they had left the morgue with more questions than answers.

Bobby looked up from a worn, leather book and sighed. "We don't know much here Dean. That man had been torn to pieces by some kind of animal. And if I'm wrong, some kind of dog..or wolf."

"Son of a bitch," Dean sighed as he plopped down on the end of the spare bed and rubbed his face.

"You know what this means Dean. We need Sammy's help."

Dean looked up from his hands to see Bobby and sighed. "We don't know where he is."

"Hailey called me yesterday. He's in Standford."

Dean almost wanted to tell Bobby to forget it, that they would do this on their own, but they needed Sam's brains. The two brothers hadn't spoken in a year and Dean wasn't anxious to find out how his reception would be relieved. He looked over at the occupied bed that was sitting near the window and watched Skylar sleep. He would do it for her.


	7. Chapter 7

She made herself as small as possible in the huge back seat of the car. The two boys that were next to her had tried to engage her in conversation, but she just kept her face pointed towards the window and watched the scenery change.

They passed into farmland, not what she was used to. She placed her head on the cool window of the car and closed her eyes. Her parents were dead and she was all alone.

She must have dozed off with her head pressed the cold of the glass, because the next thing she knew, the car slowed down and she felt the bumps of the road. Her eyes opened and noticed they had pulled into a driveway, heading under a sign that read _Singer Auto._ Her blue eyes were wide with wonder as she saw row after row of junks cars. They were all in every state of disappear and there were hundreds of them, covering half of the three acre farm house.

The house sat back behind the junk cars and it reminded Skylar of some kind of fortress, like a castle. Instead of a moat with water, it was surrounded by the metal decay of the cars.

A small warped porch sagged under the weight of a brown two story house and the muscle car stopped just in front of the steps.

Her eyes turned from the window to see that everyone was getting out of the car, but she stood rooted to her seat. The man with the trucker cap, _Bobby?,_ lean into the car and give her a warm smile.

"Do you want to come inside?"

Skylar shook her head, the dark curls bouncing on her head. He nodded and tapped the hood of the roof and he slammed the door shut. She watched as he crossed the front of the car and onto the wood steps. Her heart began to beat fast into her chest as she realized she was alone. She frantically looked behind her and out the windows, feeling as if something was stalking her.

Skylar's eyes were locked on the windshield while her fingers frantically clawed for the metal handle of the door.

Her long legs quickly made it to the steps in two long strides. The screen door squeaked open and then banged loudly behind her. As she struggled to catch her breath, she took in her surroundings.

The living room looked sad and tired. Countless books were stuffed into an overflowing bookcase that was tucked into the corner of the room. What couldn't fit in the shelves were piled up on the floor and a sagging dining room table. Fading red drapes covered a dusty window that hadn't looked like it had been attended to in a long time. In fact, the whole room was coated in dust.

The creak of the hard wood floor made her turn around and her muscles were tight, ready to bolt. It was the oldest of the two boys and he was holding a yellow plate in his hand. From the plate came the delicious aroma of meat, cheese and grease. Despite her hesitation, she felt her stomach rumble as the smell wafted around the dusty living room and into her nose.

"Thought I'd save you this before Sammy eats it all," He winked at her as he slowly walked towards the table that was stacked with books. With a clink, he sat the plate on the table and turned to look at her, his light green eyes boring a hole into her soul. "You better hurry up before it gets cold." He took out a can of root beer from the back pocket of his jeans and sat it next to the plate. "you can eat in here if you want, or.." He flicked his head in the direction of the kitchen. "You can come join us. My name is Dean, by the way."

Skylar looked over at the plate of food, feeling her hunger mounting. It had been a few days since she last ate. The very thought of food turned her stomach.

As she heard the laughter coming from the kitchen, she slowly walked over to the table and grabbed the yellow plate, heavy with the contents of the burger and fries. She cautiously walked through the threshold of the kitchen and stopped.

The laughter stopped as ever turned to look at her and Skylar wanted to bolt. She felt uncomfortable with everyone looking at her, like they were judging her.

School for Skylar was hell. Kids were cruel and mean, taunting her and calling her a freak. Her father was a factory worker and he had been laid off after the plant closed. That's when the drinking and the abuse started for her. She was teased at school for her thrift store clothes, most a couple of decades out of style.

The man that had first taken her out of the closet, quickly stood up from his hair and Skylar walked backwards a few steps. He held up his hand and a smile appeared on his face.

"Come, sit here. I'm done anyway."

The plate shook in her hands, threatening to spill the hamburger onto the floor. How much trouble would she get in for that one? She flicked her eyes over to the boy with the dark, spiky hair and beautiful green eyes and felt her cheeks grow hot as he slid her a smirk.

* * *

Dean balanced the sack of greasy diner food in his hand as he struggled to fish out his keys in the pocket of his leather jacket. He placed the paper between his teeth as he slid the key into the lock and turned the knob at the same time. He kicked the door shut with his boot and noticed the bed was empty. A dark green comforter and yellow sheets lay in a ball on the moldy green carpet. He slid his hand into the inner pocket of his jacket as he sat the sacks on the cracked table. He felt the cold metal of the gun that lay up against his rib cage. Two seconds, that's all it would take to slid the gun out and cocked it back. He had practiced hard until he achieved that number.

"Skye?" He stepped around the small wall that dived the dining area of the room and the sleep quarters. The bathroom door was shut and he could see the yellow light underneath the wooden door.

He heard the door knob click and he took a step back as she stepped through the doorway. A towel was in her hands as she brushed it back and forth across her head and he realized she wasn't wearing anything else. He had only gotten a brief glimpse, but it had been enough. He had seen a pair of firm round breasts, the glint of a belly button barbell and large curvy hips.. "OH..." He slapped a hand over his eyes as he turned around. He moved his eyes up to the ceiling and puffed out his cheeks. "This is awkward."

"What's the matter!," Skylar huffed out as she wrapped the towel around her body. "It's not like you haven't seen them before!." She pushed past him as sat on the farthest bed from him. She crossed her arms as she watched him slowly walk into the living room and to his suitcase.

After a few minutes, he selected a pair of black track pants and a white tee shirt. Both seemed much to large for her, but it was better than that stupid hospital gown. She plucked them from his hand and slid the tee shirt over her head. "T..thank you."

lHe nodded at her as he looked at her crystal blue eyes and seeing all the anger and hurt that was laced in them. He wasn't sure if it was towards him or something else that had happened to her.

He turned his back so she could stand up and slid the pair of track pants and took out the contents in the bag. "I hope you are hungry." He turned his head to see that she was tying the ends of the tee shirt into a knot and it lay on her stomach. He got a brief glimpse of a pair of purple butterfly wings that was etched on her right hip.

"So, uh, how's Jessica?" Hailey bit her lower lip as she poured the hot liquid into the white ceramic cup.

Sam Winchester looked up from the mug and slid Hailey a crooked grin and scratched the back of his neck. "She's, uh...she's good."

Hailey chuckled and replaced the coffee pot back under the warmer. "Relax Stretch, I'm a big girl, I can handle it."

"Hailey, look..." Sam began but he was stopped as she flashed him a frown.

"It's OK. Really...I mean we both parted on good terms, no bad feelings, I promise." She slid him a smile as she leaned forward on the counter and rested her arms on the cold surface. "So, hear from your pain in the ass brother latley?" She noticed the brief glimpse of anger and she frowned. "Another fight?"

"Yeah," Sam sighed as he wrapped his large hands around the mug. "Haven't spoken to him in a year." He lifted the mug to his lips just as he heard the buzzing of a phone vibrating. As Hailey slid her hands into the front pocket of her black apron, he pursed his lips together and blew into the mug. He watched as he saw Hailey's smile slip from her face and she placed a hand in her hair.

"What's up?" He asked as her shaking hands closed the phone and she sighed. "That was Uncle Bobby...he..uh...was calling about Skylar. It looks like you might just get that reunion with your brother after all."


	8. Chapter 8

Leaves crunched underneath her feet, her lungs burned, her breath in gasps and she didn't know how much longer she could run like this. Her ankle twisted as she found a hole and she fell painfully onto the leaf covered ground. The leaves were wet and sticky and when she put a hand to her face, it was red. She tried to scream, but when her mouth opened, no sound escaped. She quickly tried to scramble to her feet, but the ground was covered in blood. Was it coming from her? She ran her hands along her body to find no injuries. A sharp, burning smell entered her nose and she began to gag.

She found her footing and just as she was about to run again, she heard a long, low growl that sent the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end. She stumbled backwards, her feet hitting something hard and she fell over onto her back, knocking the wind out of her.

Her hands scrambled behind her and that's when she felt something solid. She slowly turned her head and she let out an earth shattering scream. Before she could recognize the dead body lying behind her, she sat up in bed, her breath coming in gasps as she struggled to recognize her surroundings.

She was in some kind of bedroom. Pale yellow curtains were moving against a warm breeze and from the lack of lighting, Skylar guessed it was in the early evening. A stained oak dresser stood in the corner and next to it was a wood back chair with clothes neatly piled on the seat. She struggled to remember how she got here, but her memories were foggy.

She threw the yellow quilt off of her and her toes touched a cold, wooden floor. She slid them up to the mattress and then gingerly touched them to the surface. She slid her feet to the floor and stood up and froze as she heard the creak underneath her. She paused just for a second, her senses on high alert, the dream so vividly fresh in her mind. She was certain she could still hear the growling and gnashing of teeth, the strong acrid smell still burning her nose.

She grabbed the clothes off the chair and examined them. A pair of jeans, a gray and black long sleeved shirt and a black truckers hat. Skyler took her time looking at each article of clothing, holding each one to her nose.

Bobby Singer, on the outside, was a tough old coot that had a harden shell. When Skylar came to live with him, she slowly got to know this seasoned bachelor and they both warmed to each other. She began to realize that under that hard shell was a kind old man. The articles of clothing were that proof.

It had been her 19th birthday and Bobby surprised her with a trip into Sioux falls. They spent the afternoon at the movies, at lunch and then a trip to the mall. Well, it had been by herself, but Bobby had provided the cash, one hundred dollars. Skylar had protested and attempted to give Bobby back the money, telling him he couldn't afford that amount of cash on her. Bobby had fired back and actually called her his daughter and at that moment, Skylar realized she had a family.

With that hundred dollars, she had splurged on the pair of pants and shirt that she now held in her hands. She walked to the door and opened it and was greeted by the sounds of voices coming from downstairs. She knew the house like the back of her hand and she knew they were in the kitchen. The thin walls allowed Skylar to pick up bits and pieces of the conversation, from the long pause, she could tell he was on the phone. She could hear the heavy sounds of boots on the hard wood floor. He was pacing.

She quietly shut the bedroom door, whisked off the long tee shirt and quickly dressed into the new clothes. When she opened the door, she could hear his voice husky with his anger.

"I don't give a damn Sam, OK? This isn't about us, this is about Skylar. And she's family too. You and Hailey need to get here soon."

Skylar pressed up against the stair wall and swallowed the lump in her throat. Hailey and Sam were coming to Bobby's. The last time her and Hailey had been in the same room, they had come to blows. It ended with Skylar turning her back on the Winchesters, her "sister" and the man she came to call father. She didn't want questions and accusations. Plus, she was a liability with her being her. Everyone around her ended up getting hurt or getting killed.

The music wasn't Skylar's cup of tea and it was a little loud as she pushed open the red door. Smoke lingered in the air, making the bar hard to see, but she found her way towards the bar. For a small town on a Friday night, this was the place to be and Skylar elbowed her way to a bar stool and slid into it.

"What can I get you love?"

Skylar looked behind the bartender to see the many bottles of alcohol and her eyes landed on one, a small smile played on her lips. "Can I get that bottle of Johnnie Walker."

The bottle and a shot glass were sat in front of her and she began to pour the amber liquid into it and paused. She remembered the first time she drank this stuff. She lifted the glass to her lips and took a long swallow.

 _It was her birthday, her 16_ _th_ _birthday to be exact and Skylar was all alone. Sure she had Bobby, but she didnt' want to bother him. Since moving to this house a few years ago, she struggled to tell him anything about what happened that night her parents were killed. Her fingers were wound around a silver cross that lay on her chest._

 _It had been her mother's. Skylar remembered how her mother always wore that necklace, seeming to never take it off her body. When Skylar was plagued by terrible nightmares, it was gifted to her._

 _A knock sounded on her door and Skylar quickly wiped the tears from her cheeks and sat up on the bed._

" _C..come in."_

 _The door creaked open and Bobby appeared n the doorway, a smile on his face. "Why don't you come on downstairs Skye. I've got a surprise for you."_

" _Yeah, can you give me like ten minutes?" Her feet were off the bed by the time Bobby shut the door and she walked over to the mirror that was placed on the blue dresser. It had been a junkyard find, only costing a few dollars, but it reminded her of her grandmother's old mirror. She wiped the black from underneath her eyes and fluffed her hair. She wasn't sure why she was primping, but something told her that Bobby was up to something._

 _When she slowly walked down the stairs, she heard some voices coming from the kitchen and she froze. This was the surprise that Bobby wanted to show her? She had her hand on the wall, ready to bolt._

" _Skye?"_

 _The deep voice came from behind her, in the dust covered living room, and she slowly turned to face him._

 _She quickly recovered as she looked into the jade green eyes, the sly smile on a chiseled jaw, tight muscles in a black shirt and jeans that hugged a very tight lower half. "Dean...Winchester." Despite her shock, Skylar quickly recovered._

 _Dean licked his lower lip and quickly scanned her body. "Hey Skye." He lifted a bottle that had been at his side and the sunlight glinted on the glass. "So..uh..happy birthday."_

She was jolted out of her thoughts by a man that had sat next to her reeking of stale cigerretes and onions. She scrunched her nose as she took a sip of her scotch.

"Can I buy you another one Sweet Cheeks?"

Sklyar closed her eyes, mentally counted to ten than opened them again. She turned to face the man. "No thanks."

"Just a drink Sweet Cheeks," He grinned at her showing his tobacco stained teeth. "No need to be rude."

"I said no thank you?" Skylar slid out a twenty from the pocket of her jacket and slapped the bill on the wooden counter. When she walked past the man, he reached out and grabbed her upper arm and she squeaked out a protest. "Yeah, do you mind not getting your greasy hands off this jacket?"

His smile slid from his face and Skylar began to shake with fear at the menic in them. "Rude little bitch. I should take you out back and teach you some manners."

Skylar felt the bar begin to pitch and swim, knowing what was about to happen. "If you know what's good for you, I'd let go, right now."

"Or what? Huh? You gonna start crying?"

Skylar felt the dizziness creep in and she yanked her arm back from him and with all her strength, slapped him across his face. He was never expecting that, so it gave her an advantage and she pushed her way to where the bathroom located and the back entrance for devilries. She hit the metal button and stumbled out into the dark, muggy air. She tripped over something and she fell hard onto the pavement, feeling rocks dig into her palms. She felt the heaviness push down into her body and then the snarl. She was on all fours, her head hung down and her breaths coming in gasps.

"No...no..."

She heard the door slam open and the angry voice of the man. "Stupid bitch."

Skylar let out a scream as his hands clamped around her ankle and she was tossed onto her back, knocking what little air she had left. Stars exploded behind her eyes as her head hit the pavement. She struggled as she felt his weight come on top of her, his powerful hands holding her wrists down.

He leaned into her face and she gagged on the rancid smell of his breath. "Gonna teach you a lesson, stupid bitch." he raised his hand and smacked her so hard across her cheek, she felt the blood in her mouth. Anger coursed through her as she turned her head and looked up at her attacker. She let out a scream as she spat the blood into his face.

The man gagged and let out of her wrists as he frantically wiped the blood from hi s mouth. "Stupid bitch!" He took his fist and punched her in the face and she felt her world begin to swim.

She heard the snapping and snarling and she closed her eyes, not wanting to see what was coming next. She heard a scream and then the man was lifted from her body. She flipped onto her stomach as she heard the crunching of bone and gurgling scream coming from a ruined throat.

She wasn't sure how long she ran for, but she stopped only when she saw a gas station that was closed for the evening. She ran to the side of the building, put her back against the yellow bricks and slid to where she was sitting. With sobs, she tucked her self into a small ball and began to rock back and forth.


	9. Chapter 9: Prince Charming

_She walked outside with a plate in her hand, topped with a sandwich and some chips. After the exchange of Scotch, Skylar felt a little awkward around Dean. He hand never expressed any kind of feelings and she amused he was just a robot. She noticed the way he obeyed John Winchester, he was always eager to please. So that simple gesture of the bottle, which was currently tucked under the waist band of her shorts, meant the world to her. It wasn't hard to know where Dean had snuck off to after breakfast. Skylar held the same love of cars that he had._

 _He was crouched at the rear of classic Camaro that was in various degrees of disrepair., his dark hair was plastered to his head, the grey tee shirt clung to his chest like second skin. The setting sun made his tan skin golden, reminding her of some Greek God._

" _I uh..thought you might like a sandwich and some lemon aide?"_

 _Dean hadn't expected to hear her voice, she was the one person he was avoiding at that moment. When he had seen her come down those stairs, he wasn't prepared to see how much she changed. Her chest had gotten larger, her waist had slimmed down and her hips became curvier. He looked up from the tire to see her standing at the rear of the Camaro in those short denim shorts, red cowboy boots and blue plaid shirt that was tied above her waist._

" _Uhh..thanks." He stood up and took off the black leather gloves and threw them on top of the hood and grabbed the beer from her hand. He twisted the top off, placed the bottle to his lips and took a long swallow. He turned from her and sat the bottle on the hood of the car. He leaned up against the trunk, crossed his ankles and his arms across his chest. "So, you like her?" Mists of dust flew off the metal as he reached back and patted the hood._

" _Are you kidding?" Skylar smiled at him as she sat the plate next to him and began to slowly circle the car. "A 1969 Camaro RS?" She leaned into the passenger window and looked at the gear shift. "Manuel..nice..is this gonna be your car? What happened to the Impala?"_

" _Dad has it at the moment..but..uh..." Dean glanced down at the ground and nervously scratched the back of his neck. This was all new to him, this being so shy around girls. But it was different with Skylar. She was Bobby's daughter and no matter what he was feeling, he couldn't cross that line. "It's not..uh.." He shifted on his left foot, then to his right foot and then stuffed his hands into the pocket of his jeans. "It's...yours."_

 _Sklyar pulled her head out of the passenger window and looked across the hood at him. "Did you say its mine?"_

" _Yeah..." Dean held her gaze for a few heart beats and then cleared his throat. "I heard you talking to Bobby this morning about getting a car. I..uh..know money's kinda tight...so...I..uh..talked it over with him and we both decided that this should be your car."_

" _Does she run?" Skylar held her gaze to him as he shifted on his feet. She held a sense of pride as she realized she was making him nervous. Dean Winchester was actually nervous around a woman, that was one for the news._

" _Uh..yeah..."_

" _Got the keys?" She smiled mischievously at him, like the cat that got the cream. She glanced towards the house to see the single dust covered windows. She knew Bobby's routine, knowing he'd be on his second glass of Scotch. And Sam? Well, he was probably nose deep in a book somewhere. The bottle of scotch felt heavy in her back pocket as she slid it out and held it to his eye line. "Still my birthday for a few more hours."_

" _Are you crazy?" Dean huffed out as he flicked his green eyes to the sagging, old house and then back to Skylar who was opening the passenger door. "Bobby will kill me."_

" _Relax Winchester," She grinned at him as she closed the door. She turned to look at the driver's side door to see that he had lowered his body to look into the window, a frown on his face. Skylar hid the smile as he huffed out some kind of curse word, open the door with a pop and groan and slid into the newly restored leather bucket seats._

" _If we get caught, I'm gonna have your ass Banks." He grumbled as he started the engine of the car, grimacing at the squeal of the loose belt._

 _Rocks pinged underneath the chasse of the car as it sped down the road. Dean cursed under his breath as the tire found a pot hole and the metal groaned under the assault of the unpaved road. Had he known where Skylar was taking them, he would have gotten the old truck. The sun had set behind the mountains and the road was dark, and Dean tried to make sense of the surroundings. He had practically grown up around these parts and he knew that Skylar was taking them to the old quarry. A place where she, Sam and him would spend countless hours swimming and lying under that old oak tree. When the car came around the last curve, Dean saw the massive tree standing where it had so long ago. That was the tree that he found Skylar and Sam kissing. It shouldn't have bothered Dean so much. She was closer to Sam's age and they seemed to have found a common ground, books. But when he saw his younger brother kissing her, Dean felt the monster inside of him spring to life._

 _Dean slowed the car and before it stopped, the passenger door was opened and Skylar hopped out of the car, and even with his longer legs, Dean had a hard time keeping up with her as she hustled through the over growth of grass, blackberry bushes and flowers._

" _Skye?" Dean called as he slowly made his way through the folage, feeling as if he was in the jungle. "Skye?" Her heard a woman's laugh just in front of him._

" _Come on Dean," her voice echoed off the granite walls of the quarry as she called to him._

 _The dirt path that had once led to the water, was known covered in grass. Being the expert tracker that he was, Dean noticed trampled grass, telling him that she had gone to the water's edge. He walked down a small hill and stopped as he came to the water. . He should have announced is presense, feeling like a peeping tom._ Dammit Dean. She's off limits.

 _Skylar turned her head, smiled at him as she took a long sip of the whiskey, then turned her attention back to the water. Her hands slid down to the button of her shorts as she shimmied out her denim shorts, stepping out of them as they bunched at her feet. Dean sucked in a breath as he saw her backside. It was tight and firm and surronded in black lace. He swallowed the lump in his throat as his eyes focused on those panties. She seemed so tough and hard, a front Dean knew she put on for her own good. Seeing the lace, Dean knew she was still just a little bit soft inside._

 _She walked to the water's edge and dipped her toe into water, testing the temperature. She turned her head to see Dean looking at her, so she took her finger and motioned to her. Come here._

" _Skylar...I..uh..."Dean nervously reached a hand up and scratched the back of his head. Was this really happening to him? He wanted to, god he really did. To be able to put his hands on that body was all he could think about. But his stupid head wouldn't shut off. He couldn't do this. This was Skylar, Bobby's adoptive daughter. If Bobby got wind of Dean putting his hands on Skylar, god help him. The old coot would skin him alive and maybe even castrate him._

" _Dean, he's not going to find out." It was a little uncanny how Skylar always seemed to know what he was thinking, answering him before he could even utter a statement. The water was already up to her waist, her full breasts bobbing just below the surface. "It's my birthday," She pouted at him. "Let's have a little fun." She took her palms and grazed the top of the water until she flicked a little bit at him. Cold droplets of water landed on Dean's face. "It's just a swim Dean, that's all." She let herself fall backwards into the water, disappearing out of sight for a few moments._

 _Dean felt the buzz overcome him and he swore at the strong whiskey. Then he realized, he hadn't consumed any and he felt the ground pitch and swim. He watched as she resurfaced. The moonlight wasn't there but he could tell she was slicking her hair back from her face as she came up for air. Dean wrestled with his demons and tried to talk his way out of this, but he knew deep inside there was nothing that could talk him out of this. He twirled his finger in a circle in the air. "Turn around."_

 _Skylar laughed as she turned around, placing her hands over her eyes. "That's not fair."_

" _Life's not fair sweetheart." Dean chuckled as his shirt came off first. As he looked down to unbutton his jeans he was unaware that Skylar had turned back around. She watched as his jeans slid over his hips and onto the ground. Her breath hitched as he straigtned up and faced her._

 _Her eyes swept to his hard chest._ How on earth did he grow into a man like this? _Her eyes swept down ihs stomach tracing the six pack, and she looked away, suddenly feeling as shy as a twelve-year-olds first crush, which had always been Dean. He was four years older than her and she always knew he didn't think of her in that way. She heard him as e walked into the water and she turned to see him._

 _The awkwardness had increased tenfold between them, Dean for once, was at a loss in what to do next. His old self would have grabbed her the instant he got into the water. But this was Skylar. He scolded himself for being such a coward. Dean was taken out of his thoughts as Skylar let out a scream._

 _She jumped around in the water, frantically looking around her. Her face was scrunched up in terror as she pushed towards Daen. "Oh my God. S...s..something just touced my leg!" She wrapped her arms around Dean's neck and slid her legs around his waist. She buried her face into his neck._

" _Skylar." He stood there with his arms outstretched and this beautiful woman clinging to him."We can't be doing this."_

" _Dean." Her breath tickled the skin at te crook of his neck. She raised her head to see tat he was looking to the shore, his jaw clenched and unclench She knew he was fighting the feelings. Se took her finger and placed it on his lips. "It's my birthday. Don't I get a kiss?" She slid the finger off of his lips and softly touched hers to them. She pulled back to see his reaction and what she saw, sent a shiver run trough her._

 _His lips were parted, his once light green eyes were now dark with his mounting lust._ So, this is Dean Winchester turned on? _Skylar thought with a smile. She had heard about this look from a few of her friends at school. She couldn't help but feel a little bit of pride. "Skylar." His voice was deep and husky and it sent a tingle deep in the pit of her stomach._

 _Dean was trying so hard to resist her, but he felt the pressure in his head. It seemed her voice was in his head as she spurred him._ You want me Dean. _God, did he ever._

 _He shut off his brain as he slid his hands under her tight bottom, lifting her up out of the water. He carried them to te soft grass and gently laid her down._

* * *

"Both of you sit down right now!" Bobby's hoarse cut over the angry voices of the two Winchester brothers. Sam had arrived with Hailey, a few hours after Skylar had run away. Dean had found the note on her pillow when she failed to come down for dinner. Of course when Sam had found that out, he blamed Dean.

Both Sam and Dean stopped the shouting to see Bobby standing near the bookshelf, a cordless phone in is hand. "Would you two idjits stop your fighting long enough and listen up?" He sat te phone on te desk and folded his arms under his arm pits, his face long with worry. "Tat was Rufus. Seems there was a murder two town over. Some guy in a bar was found with his throat torn open. Witnesses tell us he was harassing this girl. Fits Skye's description. I need you two to go to this bar and find her!

"I'll drive." Dean huffed as he turned his back to Sam and walked past Bobby, making a point to avoid touching him. When he hit the porch, he turned his head to see Hailey standing on the porch a grim look on her face. NO words were said between the two of them each shooting daggers at each other.

Sam pushed open the screen door and noticed the staring contest between Hailey and Dean. They hadn't seen each other since the night Skylar ran away the frist time and Dean had always blamed Hailey for it, but Sam didn't know all the details. His older brother always changed the subject when Sam brought up the topic.

"I'm coming with you." Hailey finally interrupted The silence and Dean flicked his eyes away from her to look at Sam. She had won this round.

"Like hell you are." Dean barked.

"Like hell I am! God knows you are the reason for this Dean.

Dean glared at Sam, his upper lip in a snarl. "It's not my fault. Control your girlfriend Sam or help me God."

_Sam turned to Hailey and put his large hands on her shoulder and looked down at her. "I need you hear, OK? I need you to stay with Bobby and be our eyes and ears."

Hailey glanced over the hood of the Impala to see Dean leaning up against the car, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes on the setting sun. There was only one person she could trust when it came to her sister and that was Dean. She nodded her approval and took a step back so Sam could get into the car. Before Dean bent down to get into the driver's seat, he flashed her a look. _I won't stop looking until I find her._


	10. Chapter 10: I Need Help

Her body sprung up from the bed, her chest heaved up and down as she let out a strangled sob. Her eyes were wide as she struggled to see into the darkness, feeling as if she was being watched. She tried to hold onto the... _ **dream?.**_ She had been dreaming of the man who had attacked her at the bar. It was from her point of view and before she lunged at him, he let out a blood curdling scream. She felt her teeth sink into the tender flesh of the throat, the memory of the salty taste of the blood was so very strong as she tore at the skin.

The room was very dark, just a strip of yellow light shone under the curtains, but it wasn't enough to give her any help in where she was located. She swung her legs off the side of the bed and she felt every muscle in her body aching. That son of a bitch from the bar really did her a once over.

She felt her way through what she confirmed as a motel room, but she didn't remember checking into one. Skylar made her way to the bathroom and flipped on the light, squinting at the harsh florescent lighting. With her eyes closed, Skylar felt her way to the sink, feeling her fingers touch the cold, ceramic surface.

She lifted her head and looked in the mirror, shocked at what she was looking at. The entire right side of her face was bruised, starting from underneath her eye to her jawline. Her bottom lip was split and swollen and she grimaced as she moved her jaw back and forth. It wasn't broken, but it still hurt like a son of a bitch. She sighed and leaned forward into the mirror to get a better look at herself. She wasn't going to win any beauty contests at the moment, but she would heal. She'd been knocked around worse than this in the past.

She stepped back from the mirror, grabbed the bottom of her shirt and want to pull it over her head when she felt a sharp, burning pain just below her right breast. She lifted the shirt up and frowned when she noticed the boot sized bruise along her ribs and from the pain, she knew a few were broken.

She turned from the mirror and put her hand on the white plastic shower curtain and yanked it back. When she did, she let out a scream than clamped her hand to her mouth as she frantically shook her head. A mewling sound came from behind her hands as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing.

Once, not too long ago, he would have been considered handsome. His eyes were a beautiful shade of blue, his jawline sharp with a dimple right in the middle of his chin. He was tall and muscular, but none of that mattered anymore. His throat was torn open, the white tee shirt he had on was saturated with his blood. His eyes were open wide and glassed over, his mouth slack with his silent scream. His chest had been ripped open and she felt her stomach churn with her revulsion.

She placed a hand to her stomach feeling it churn as she slowly backed out of the bathroom. She let out a scream as her ankle twisted into the bed sheets, making her fall hard onto her ass.

The heel of her hand slipped into something sticky and she fell backwards, hearing something squish underneath her. She rolled onto her side and brought her hand to see what was on the floor and saw the bright red. She turned her head to the floor and to her horror noticed the large drops that led to the bed in the corner.

With her body shaking, Skylar crawled on her hands and feet following the blood to the bed where it continued underneath the bed. Her hands trembled as the pulled up the dark blue dust ruffle and instantly smelled the coppery smell of the blood. She felt underneath the mattress until her hand found an object that squished underneath her fingers. With a scream on her lips she pulled it out and saw the heart.

"Noooo!" She screamed as she dropped the organ on the dark green carpet and crabbed walked to the wall. "OH...god...nooo!"

* * *

"W..what happened?" Hailey stood in the threshold of the living room. She had been in the kitchen making dinner when she heard the heavy slam of the front door and it made seemed to make the whole house shake.

"Out of my way," Dean barked as he brushed past her and straight to the study desk. He threw a few books out of the way as he grabbed the half-full bottle of scotch, twist off the top and take a heavy sip.

"Sam?" Hailey tore her eyes off of Dean to see Sam standing near the couch, anguish on his face. "W...what is it?"

With a grunt, Dean moved past Hailey, opened the front door and slammed it behind him, leaving a wake of awkward silence.

"We...we went to the morgue."

* * *

Dean chugged the bottle of scotch as he made his way through the maze of beaten up old cars. He was at the end of the property, when he saw it sitting near the fence. It hadn't been driven since that night at the lake.

Bobby had been enraged when they both showed back up at the house several hours later. He reamed Dean up one side and the other and Skylar's fate was much worse. He'd be damned if he had a daughter fall for a Winchester, so he shipped her off to her Aunt's in Oklahoma for a year.

She had managed to run away and somehow she found Dean deep on a hunt in Missouri. She begged him to come with her, to run away and live a life they knew they both wanted. Dean had to watch the hurt in her eyes as he lied to her. He lied and said he didn't love her, that it was just sex. It ate at him as the year's passed.

He walked over to the hood of the Camaro and moved his hand over the dust, leaving a trail. He moved past the driver's side door and paused as he approached the back seat and looked into the cracked leather. He saw a bundle of black and red so he leaned inside the open window and lifted it up off the floor. It was a blanket. They had made love in this car and Dean had wrapped the blanket around them. For just a brief few hours, Dean felt as close to normal as he possibly could. He was lying with a girl he was falling in love with, despite the repercussions it might have in the end.

Feeling anger grow inside of him, Dean let out a strangled cry as he reached down and grabbed a crow bar that was lying near the tire. With all the rage exploding into his body, Dean gripped the bar in his hand and brought it down on the trunk of the car. Dust flew up into his face as he beat it faster and faster caving in the trunk, bashing the windows not caring that a few cut into his arm. Sweat popped out on his forehead as he went around the car, crashing the crow bar into the metal. With pure exhaustion, he threw it on the ground. He let out a huff as he leaned up against the grill of the now ruined car and sighed.

Feeling optimistic that this would be a case of a wild animal attack and not of the Supernatural kind, Sam and Dean made there way to the morgue. That all fizzled when the met with the corner, a short, balding man with sharp features, met with them and told them the grim news. It was an animal attack and from the matted fur found clenched in his fist, it was a wolf. But that wasn't the puzzling thing about this whole situation. The fur seemed to have both animal _and_ human DNA. Unfortunately for the two brothers, the body had been sent for cremation per family's request.

Dean didn't want to think of the possibility that there was something more sinister going on here, no matter what Sam was throwing at him. It was Skylar for fucks sake.

"Dean?"

"What?" Dean barked as he turned his head to see is brother standing awkwardly at the trunk of the car. Sam was staring at the ruined car in shock.

"Bobby wants us in the house."

"Fantastic." Dean grumbled. He pushed past Sam as his legs quickly moved him along the dirt path to where the sagging house stood. His eyes automatically scanned to the top floor and looked at the room just right of the big oak tree. Sometimes him and Skylar would meet to go down to the creek and she would be sitting on the roof waiting. He felt a pang as the spot was empty and it made him realize how badly he wanted to find her.

With a loud bang that sent dust into the air, Dean made his presence known to Bobby and Hailey who were both sitting in chairs. Dean took his spot by the desk and sat on the end of it as he waited for Sam to take a seat.

"So, what's this all about?"

Bobby pointed to a book that was lying on the table and on the page was a picture of a wolf. "I think we might have some information. And Dean, it's not good news."

* * *

Skylar wasn't sure how long she sat there against the wall, her head tucked between her arms and her hands cradling her head. She didn't want to look at the carnage that was in her room. Blood covered the carpet, the drapes and the moldy green bedspread.

The man with the torn out throat and heart, that was still under the bed, had been the motel manager. She had found the run-down building after running from the bar. She could still hear the sirens, but they weren't near as loud.

She didn't have the money to pay for the room and the manager had taken the opportunity to have her pay some other way. Skylar wasn't sure if he had done anything because the next thing she remembered was waking up on the bed. She felt her stomach churn as she raised her head and looked around the room. She had to act fast before a customer came wandering in and started to wonder were the manager was.

She walked out of her room to see the purple and pink sky of dawn and down the breezeway taking the keys out of her pocket, trying not to see the blood caked into the metal.

The keys rattled against the door as she tried to lock it and after a few minutes, clicked it shut. She walked around the counter and quickly turned off the vacant sign and flipped off the lights. Bathed in the blinking _NO Vacant_ sign, Skylar sat down at te chair and looked for the ledger. She counted on the fact that the motel hadn't seen a renovation in years, she wouldn't be on the computer.

The black book was located in the bottom right drawer and she placed it on the desk. She took a pencil, found her name and frantically erased it, feeling the tears on her cheeks.

She closed the ledger and felt her body shaking, feeling the adrenaline fade from her body and the exhaustion kick into her system. She felt her phone that was tucked into the pocket of her shorts and flipped it open. Because of her shaking hands, it took er several tries to get the number dialed.

"Skye!" His voice was lower than usually almost as if he was whispering.

"Dean...I need your help." Her voice shook with her held back emotion.

"Where are you?" She could hear the squeak of the screen door and the heavy crunch of gravel underneath his boots.

Skylar lifted her head to look at the blinking motel sign. " _Flamingo Inn_ just outside Topeka."

The low rumble of an engine and the creak of the door let Skylar know he had started up the _Impala._ She closed her eyes as he let out a huff. "Stay put Skylar. Don't move. You stay right where you are. Lock the door and do not open it for anyone but me."

Skylar moved out of the chair and ran to the door and made sure it was locked tight. Just for good measure, she drug the brochure rack and placed it underneath the handle. She turned to face the small lobby wishing she had some kind of weapon. Se walked back around the desk and looked down to see bat leaning against the metal cabinet.

"Fat good that did you." The bat felt heavy in her hands as she sat down in the chair, feeling The exhaustion set in and she laid her head on the wood with her hand wrapped around the handle.

She snorted awake and er eyes snapped open as she heard the low rumble of a car and she lifted er head surprised tat it was broad daylight and the clock on the wall told her it was past noon. Sunlight glinted off the wind shield preventing her from seeing the driver. Even though her gut was screaming at er to stay hidden, she found er self walking to the door. When she slid the rack out of the way, she unlocked te door and found her self to the car.

Dean almost didn't ave time to get out of the car before he was tackled by Skylar, making him Stumble off balance but righted himself by bracing his hand on the door of the car. "Dammit Skylar, I told you to stay inside."

"I don't know ... I don't know what happened. I...woke up and he's dead in the tub." Her voice was muffled as she pressed her forehead into his chest.

Dean felt the fear rise up in him as he heard Skylar tell him what had happened. HE closed his eyes as he placed his chin on the top of her head and rubbed his hands up and down her back. He took a moment to let her compose herself before he took his finger and lifted her chin up and that's when he noticed the bruises on her face. He felt anger bubble up inside of him as he noticed her split lip, her black and blue nose that may or may not be broken and the huge welt on her cheek. "Did he do this to you?"

He had her face upped into his hands and she couldn't pull away from him, so she shamefully looked down to the ground. IT humiliated her that Dean was seeing her like this, so vulnerable and weak. Wasn't him that taught her those were the two things that would get you killed and it almost did.

"Th..the guy at the bar...he...followed me outside after I turned him down for a dance."

"Skylar." Dean shook her a little harder to get her to focus. She was starting to shut down on him and he needed as much information as he needed. He had to prove to Bobby, Sam and Hailey that they were all wrong about Skylar. He looked behind her to see that the motel door was still open, so he guided her inside the lobby and shut the door, making sure it was locked. "Tell me what happened."

Skylar looked up to see Dean standing near the brochure rack and shook her head. "I can't tell you anything Dean. I..I don't remember."

"There's a man dead inside your motel room Skylar." Dean barked at her, making her jump. "And in order to help you, I need some god damned information."

Skylar shook her head and looked away from Dean's angry glare. She knew he had a temper, she had seen it so many times, but it was never aimed at her. She knew she couldn't take it to heart, he was frustrated and wanted to help her. "I'm sorry Dean," She felt her lower lip tremble as the tears pricked her eyes. With an angry glare, she swiped the tears with the heel of her hand. "Room 12."

"Stay here." He huffed as he yanked open the door making the bell jingle as it slammed shut.

Skylar sat there in the chair watching for Dean to come back. As the minutes ticked down past 30 minutes, Dean walked back into the motel room, his face hardened with his anger.

"Get up."

"Dean..."

"I said get up," He barked as he flung open the doro and waited for her to go through it before shutting it again.

Skylar stopped walking when they approached the _Impala_ to see the trunk was open and a body that was wrapped up in the moldy green carpet. She felt the earth pitch and swim as she heard Dean barking at her, but she couldn't focus. She felt something jab her in the back and she realized it was Dean leading her ot the passenger side. "Dean..where..are you going."

Dean's face softened a bit as he leaned down and placed his hand on her cheek. "It's OK Skye. I"ve got this covered." He took off his leather jacket and placed it over her chest. As he shut the door, his face hardened once again as he looked at the motel.

As he walked to the trunk of the car, he pulled the cell phone out of the front pocket of his plaid shirt and pressed in a number. "Chuck, hey it's Dean Winchester...listen..I've got a job for ya..you interested?"


	11. Chapter 11: Everything Seems Familar

The orange flames lit up the twilight and Dean knew it was only a matter of time before the fire department was called. With a pop and a groan, the trunk flipped open and Dean reached underneath the carpet where his fingers felt a latch. He pushed a button and it sprang open and Chuck Masters saw countless knives, guns, wooden stakes and flasks.

"I have to say," Chuck smiled at Dean who was covered in head to toe with dirt and soot, "This is a gorgeous car."

Dean hoisted the shovel from his shoulder and beamed with pride at the fellow hunter. "Thanks man," Dean bent down and placed the shovel on top of several shot guns and shut the lid and patted the metal. He then extended his hand and placed it between him and Chuck. "Thanks again Chuck."

Chuck Masters was a pro at what he did, turning Supernatural crime scenes into an ordinary occurrence. He was in high demand for his skills and when a Winchester called you, you jumped at the chance. The older Winchester and his father were sloppy when they came to their kills, Chuck always having to clean up after them.

"Always a pleasure." He glanced into the backseat and noticed the dark haired girl asleep in the passenger seat. "She gonna be OK?"

Dean glanced into the rear glass to see Skylar asleep, her body angled towards the windshield, her head placed on the seat and her hands cupping her face. "Yeah.." He patted Chuck on the shoulder and walked to the driver's side door. He slowly opened the door and grimaced when it groaned against the rusty hinges.

Skylar stirred and opened her eyes to see Dean slid into the driver's seat. "Hey.."

"Let's hit the road. Go as far as we can before we can stop for the night."

Chuck watched as the tail lights disappeared around the corner and took out his cell phone that was inside the pocket of his faded jeans jacket. He placed the phone to his ear as a grin covered his weathered face. "Troy..hey..Dean Winchester has the bitch. Going North on 70."

* * *

Haley watched as Sam Winchester paced back and forth on the creaky wood floors, nervously biting the tip of her nail. She had been sitting here for the past hour watching the younger Winchester and the older hunter hash out over what they were dealing with when it came to Skylar.

"There is something you should know." Haley finally broke the tension. She looked up from the floor to see that Sam had stopped pacing and was now looking at her, confusion etched on his handsome face. His brows knitted together as he turned his head to look at Bobby, who was not looking at either of them.

"Bobby?"

Bobby sighed and moved off the desk and gripped a bottle of scotch in his hands and lowered his truckers cap low over his eyes. "This is on you, Haley..if you want to tell him, than it's your funeral."

Haley let out a sigh and pointed to the couch. 'Sit down Sam...I think it's time I fill you in about Skylar."

* * *

The rumble of the engine and the soft guitar riffs coming from the radio was the only way Dean knew how to relax. He turned his head from the inky black road to see Skylar still asleep. At some point a few hours ago, her head had fallen on Dean's shoulder and he wasn't in a rush to move it anytime soon.

He had good intentions to go back to Bobby's, but he didn't want Skylar walking into the lion's den. Something inside of Dean told him that they were all wrong about her. There was no way she could have killed those people, that wasn't the Skylar he fell in love with.

Skylar felt the car slow down and was jolted awake as the tires hit some gravel. She sat up and winced at the crick in her neck as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"A..are we there yet?" She was looking forward to a nice soft bed underneath her body, a nice hot shower and a good meal. Her stomach rumbled at the thought of having some food. It reminded her how long it had been since she had her last meal. Then the thought of that man torn to shreds in her room, turned her stomach.

Dean slammed the car into park and opened the driver's door. "Get out of the car."

Skylar felt the icy gripes of fear take hold of her stomach as she looked out the window to see that they were in the middle of nowhere. "Dean?"

"Get out of the car!" Dean barked as he slammed the door shut and walked to the trunk of the Impala.

She fumbled for the handle as her hands began to shake and she slowly walked behind the trunk to see it was now open. Dean lifted up from the trunk and she took several steps back as she noticed he was holding a colt in his hand. He looked at her as he cocked it back and pointed it at her.

Skylar closed her eyes wondering if she would feel the kill shot, knowing how good an aim was, she knew she couldn't take off running. She knew it would come down to this, Dean was a hunter after all and she was an animal that needed to be put down. When the shot never came, she opened her eyes to see that Dean had the gun pointed to the ground. He placed the butt of the gun into her shaking hands.

"Show me what I taught you."

Skylar looked down at the gun to see the ivory handle covered in silver etching. "Dean..."

"Load the gun!" Dean barked. "What ever is out there is coming for you Skylar. You need to show me you can shoot a gun."

She felt hot tears prick her eyes and then she got angry at Dean for being so short with her. "You don't need to be an ass."

"Listen Sweetheart," Dean growled, "This is serious business, OK? They will not sit around and wait to be shot at. You have to let go of everything," He took his hand and gently turned her away from him, leaned down into her, his mouth against her ear. "And I mean everything."

* * *

It was just a medium sized book that had seen better days. The cover had once been leather, but it was now cracked in places with the worst being along the spine. From the cracked spine and the dark drops of blood along the top, it was a book that had been used often.

A page was flipped open towards the end and one word stood out from the tattered pages. _Witches_. Sam let out a huff and pushed away from the table trying to get as far away from the book as possible. There was no way in hell this is what they were dealing with. Hell, Sam was hoping and wishing that it was a hell hound, but none of the slain men had made any deals.

A creak in the floorboards made Sam turn his head and watched as Bobby walked to the desk, grab a silver flask, twist off the cap and take a healthy sip. He wiped his lips and replaced the cap, then motioned it towards Sam.

Sam looked down at the floor, disbelief etched on his face as he took the flask into his hands. Drinking was more of Dean's thing, Sam only having a few beers. But the deeper he read into his father's journal, the more he needed the liquid courage to soldier on and face this thing.

"It's all true?" Sam moved his eyes up from the floor and locked eyes with the seasoned hunter. "Skylar..killed those men? She...she's a witch?"

"I wish it where that simple. Your daddy stumbled onto Jack Banks a few years before Skylar was born. John was searching for Jack to kill him."

Sam walked to the journal and picked it up with his large hands as he traced the fine penmanship of his father, to see the paragraph were Skylar is mentioned. "I was under the impression that all witches got their powers from making deals."

"That's why your daddy was hunting Jack. The Banks family originated in Salem Massachusetts. Back then, witches got their powers naturally. Each generation a baby girl is chosen for the powers."

"And let me guess," Sam leaned up against the desk and crossed his ankles. "Skylar was that girl."

"How your daddy knew, he won't say. It's been a secret for some time, but he was so convincing. So, I helped him. It took us 10 years to find him. We finally tracked him and his family to Greely."

"What happened that night Bobby?" Sam turned his head to look through the screen door where he saw Haley pacing back and forth in the yard. The setting sun was against her back so all Sam could make out was her silhouette. She was calling every hunter in Bobby's phone to see if they knew anything about Skylar.

"We ran into a problem." Bobby huffed. He took off his battered truckers cap, scratched the top of his head and placed the cap back on the thinning brown hair. "John failed to do any kind of research. He wasn't prepared for what happened. As we were confronting Jack, we heard this scream coming from upstairs." Bobby paused as he yanked the flask from Sam's hands and took a long pull from the flask. "We never intended Katherine..." Bobby stopped for just a second as he glanced over to a picture that was on the fireplace. "There was nothing we could do for her. She had died trying to protect her daughter."

"From what?"

"Skylar is a natural witch. They are very rare and are threatened to extinction for their powers. The family was nearly wiped out in the witch trials except for one. She was pregnant with Skylar's great, great grandfather and through that lineage, the family grew. When their numbers grew, so did a band of hunters. They formed a group of self-proclaimed witch hunters. Those men that Skylar is accused of killing? They were witch hunters."

"So that's good right?"

The front door banged open, along with a shout from Haley. When she came into the living room, her face was paled as she gripped the phone tight in her hands. "We need to get a hold of Dean. Skylar is in trouble."

"Haley," Bobby grabbed her by the shoulders and lightly shook her, trying to get her to focus. "What's wrong?"

"They are being hunted..at this moment. Hunters...found her.." Haley began to sob as she buried her face into Bobby's chest. "They are going to kill the wrong person!"

"What makes you say that Haley?" Sam looked at her as his forehead creased into a confused look. "What haven't you told me?"

Haley let out a sob as she raised her head and looked at Sam, seeing the anger on his face. "She's not the wolf Sam...I...I am..."

Sam looked at Bobby in the hopes that he would answer, but instead, the old hunter shamefully took his eyes off the younger Winchester. "Bobby..what..what is she talking about?"

Haley placed her hand on her uncle's chest, met his eyes and gave him a slight nod. "I am what they call a familiar. We are sent to protect the natural witch. Like Skylar, I am the last of my kind." She noticed Sam's face fall as he struggled to comprehended what was even being told. She watched his features screw up in such anguish, it tore at her heart. "Sam..I couldn't say anything..."

"Like hell you couldn't!" Sam finally let out his frustration of the whole situation. "You put my brother in danger...you put Skylar in danger..this whole thing has been pinned on her! Don't you think you could have said something?"

"Now don't be yelling at her son!" Bobby finally broke the tension as both Haley and Sam turned to look at him. "I was the one who told her not to say anything. "

"Sam," Haley reached out and touched her arm, but let out a startled gasp as he violently yanked his arm away from her touch. "Sam!" Her body began to shake as the room began to pitch and swim. She let out a scream as she felt her body snapping and twisting, her feet and hands morphing into a pair of huge, black paws.

"IT's too late!" Haley screamed, "They have her!"

Sam quickly took several steps backwards as he watched Haley morph into the huge black wolf. Her lips curled up into a snarl and the hair on the back was standing on end as a growl came from within her throat. Amber eyes stared him down and Sam slid his hand into the inner pocket of his jacket and felt the handle of the gun. Before he could brandish the weapon, the huge wolf bounded past him and int a giant leap, smashed through the pane glass window and disappeared into the inky blackness.

* * *

She was sitting up in the bed, her arms wrapped around her chest, tucked underneath her arm pits. Her hair was drying from the shower she had just taken and she was deep in thought, her mouth twisted into a frown. After a very tension filled shooting session that left them both feeling very awkward, they had drove for as long as they could and Dean finally opted for a motel room that was tucked off the beaten path.

As she dried her hair with the towel she could hear the rumble of the trucks on the near by freeway. Dean had paid for two rooms, giving her own room, but she was wishing he was in here with her. She was still amped up from the past four days and she was afraid she wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight. Part of it was from the situation at the bar and motel. The second thing distracting her from the land of nod, is the way Dean felt as he stood behind her, holding one hand with his and the other hand on her hip. Gun oil, leather and musk washed over her as he slowly whispered instructions to her. She knew the basics, but she couldn't say no.

She was brushing out her hair, her eyes glued to the TV, when she heard a light knock on the door. She placed the brush on the bed and lightly strode to the window. She pulled back the curtain just an inch, allowing her to see who was at the door. Dean was holding a sack in his hand and a six pack in the other.

She smoothed down her hair, took a breath and slid back the chain, opening it up just a crack. "Hi."

Dean held up the sack that was in his right hand. "Got some food.' He held up the six pack. "And some beer. Want some company?"

"I would love some." She shut the door and slid the chain all the way out, letting Dean into the room.

He brushed past her, getting a quick sniff of her body splash. She smelled of Lavender and Vanilla. He was kinda glad they found a pharmacy in this town and let her shop for some toiletries. He placed the fast food sack on the table and took out a burger. "Not sure if your a burger gal..or salad gal..so I took a chance." He walked over and handed her the burger.

Despite herself and what she had just been through, she managed a smile. The first smile that had been on her face in weeks. "You guessed right." Dean grabbed a beer, popped the top off and handed it to her. She moved over just a bit, letting him sit next to her and she thoughtfully took a bite of her burger. She rolled her eyes. "Oh my god..that's a damn good burger." She said around mouthfuls.

Dean laughed and took a sip of his beer. "My comfort food. Burgers and beers...good for the soul." He clinked his bottle with hers and watched as she chugged hers. "And she knows how to drink."

Skylar blushed and wiped her mouth. "Sorry." She could still feel the tension between the two of them and Dean was starting to act a little differently around her.

"You need it."

It fell silent between them and she turned her head. "Thank you Dean...and Sam..both you..I don't know what would have happened to me..if you hadn't..shown up when you did. I..I could have gone to jail for killing that...that poor man."

Dean put his burger down on the wrapper and leaned in, softly kissing her lips. He hadn't meant to just go in like that, but it was beginning to feel like they were about to pick up right where the left off. When she didn't pull back or stop him, he deepened the kiss. He pulled back to see her eyes were closed, her mouth open and wet from his kiss and her cheeks flushed."Like I said before, there is no need to thank me. OK?"

"I feel like I dragged you into this." She picked at her burger, feeling awkward all of a sudden.

Dean placed his hand on hers. He leaned in and whispered in her ear. "It's going to be OK Skylar."

She pulled back, feeling shy. She took her bottle and chugged the rest of the beer, feeling the familiar buzz overcome her and she felt more relaxed. She pushed her half eaten burger to the side and dropped her head onto his shoulder.

Dean sat there, listening to her slow breathing, knowing she was awake. He gently grabbed the blanket and draped it over the both of them and snuggled down into the pillows, placing her head on his chest. He stayed awake holding her, listening to the changes in her breathing. Slow, even breaths let him know that she was finally asleep. While still holding her, he leaned over the bed and slid his hand under the mattress, feeling the cold handle of the gun. A smile came to his lips as he pulled out the colt, the street lamps glistening off the metal. He had taught her well. "Good girl," He growled as he slid the gun under the pillows, snuggle into them and finally feel asleep.

* * *

"Dean!"

The moment his eyes snapped open, he knew something was wrong. The motel room was filled with thick smoke and he instantly began to cough and gag as he stood up from the bed. His sense were disoriented and it was tough to see, the smoke was burning his eyes.

"Skylar?"

With his eyes shut tight, he slid his hand along the mattress until he felt the hand of the gun. He coughed as he slid back the muzzle and blindly aimed it in front of him. Another ear piercing scream, but this time it came from the parking lot.

"Dean! Help me! Dean!"

He braced an arm over his nose as his boots crunched over broken glass, a burning bottle spun around as he kicked it out of his way. Son of a bitch how in the hell could he have let this happen. The moment he let down his guard, something tragic happens.

The door to the motel room was locked by something on the outside and Dean was feeling the smoke begin to choke him, if he didn't get out of here soon, he would die. He took off his leather jacket, tied it around his arm and busted out the rest of the broken window. He brushed away all the glass and jumped through the window just as a large flame exploded behind him.

He lifted his body from the dirt and looked behind him to see that the motel was now in flames. He let out a groan as he picked up his battered body from the pavement and held his right ribs. He heard a noise behind him and when he did he turned just as a huge crow bar came swinging towards him. His instincts were sharp so he ducked just as the bar whizzed past his ear. He felt the sharp pain exploded behind his skull as another blow came crashing down.

As the ground came up to meet them, Dean could have sworn he heard a growl coming from somewhere in the darkness. Screams, shouts, growls and the ripping of flesh accompanied Dean was he slammed into the ground, feeling unconsciousness over take him.


	12. Chapter 12: You Can't Handle the Truth

When he came too, he found himself lying on his back looking up at the dark, moonless sky. Dean had been hungover before, but the pounding in his head was nothing he had ever experienced before. His mind was foggy and it was taking him a lot longer to remember what had happened. When he sat up from the ground, he groaned and felt the back of his head. He felt something sticky and pulled back his hand to see the dark stain on his fingers. That was going to leave one hell of a bump.

The next thing he noticed, it was very quiet. Too quiet. There had been a lot of screaming and yelling just a few seconds ago. Or was it hours ago? Dean wasn't sure how much time had passed since he had gotten hit on the head. Then like a jolt of lighting, he remembered Skylar. He jumped to his feet, ignoring the wave of pain and dizziness that overcame him. He was pretty sure he had a slight concussion, but it would have to wait.

The screaming had been a few yards from where he was lying, so he reached inside his jacket and felt the handle of his gun. At least the bastards hadn't searched him. He could smell the burning wood and he turned to see that the motel was now in ruins. This told him that he had in fact been out for hours. The motel was such a dilapidated state of a building that he knew no one would be coming to put out this fire.

"Skylar!" His voice was hoarse and he cleared his throat as he placed the gun in between him and straining to see into the dark night. "Skylar!"

His breath was in gasps as he raced through the tall grass that was behind the motel. He came to a stop 100 yards in, when he found the first body. The man was lying on his back, his sightless eyes were looking up at the sky and his throat was ripped open. A dark stain was spread out underneath him and in this stain, Dean saw a huge paw print. He bent down to examine the print and felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. While still crouched down, he spun around when he heard the growl to see a huge black wolf. Before he could even shoot the wolf, it turned from him and bounded off into the grass.

A loud moan came from a grove of trees and Dean jumped to his feet and began to run towards them. He skidded to a halt when he saw Chuck near the base of the tree. There was on need to brandish his weapon, from the amount of blood on the ground, Dean knew he was dead. He felt a sense of anger over come him as he saw who was tied to a tree.

Her head had fallen forward onto her chest, her dark hair covered her face. She wasn't moving and Dean feared the worst. Had he imagined the moan? He slid the gun back into his jacket and touched her face. He let out a cry as he heard a gasp.

Skylar was tied to a tree and Dean noticed the knife that was lying next to Chuck. He quickly did an assessment to see that she was not injured.

Dean walked to the back of the tree, took out his knife and sliced through the thick rope. She fell to her knees as the rope let her go and Dean was there to catch her. He slid his arms under her legs and hoisted her off the ground into his arms. Her head fell backwards as he carried her to the waiting Impala. When he placed her into the passenger seat, he pulled out his phone and decided that he needed to end his fued with his little brother.

* * *

"Coffee, four creams, four sugars, right?"

Skylar turned from the window where she had been watching the rain falling. Dean was standing near the table with a cup of coffee in his hand. She didn't say a word as she accepted the mug and watched as he slid in the booth across from her. She pursed her lips together and took a sip of the strong liquid. It was partly to keep her from talking to him and the other reason, was to warm up her soul. After Dean had found her, she had trouble keeping the chill out of her body.

"Just got a hold of Sam, he and Bobby are on their way." Skylar kept her gaze on the parking lot and frowned. She hadn't talked since he found her several hours ago. They drove as far away from the motel as they could, knowing that the bodies would soon be discovered. "Listen, you don't think this is still you, do you?" Her head finally turned to look at him and he noticed how red they were.

"I don't know what I believe anymore." She sniffed and turned her head back to the parking lot where she continued to look at the huge wolf that was across the street. As she had been waiting for Dean to come back with the coffee, Skylar had noticed that the wolf had come from out of the thicket of trees and sit right near the road.

"We are going ot figure this out, Skylar, I promise you that."

"And what if you do find something out Dean?" Skylar fixed her stare on him. "What are you going to do then? What if I'm the monster that you and your brother hunt. Are you going to kill me?"

Dean thoughtfully chewed on his lip and then shook his head. "That ain't gonna happen Skylar. We are gonna find out what the hell this is. Hey..." He reached over and put his hand over the top of hers as she began to shake her head."Run...Skylar.." He held up his finger as he leaned forward and reached inside his leather jacket. He took out his wallet, opened it up and threw several hundreds of dollars on the table. "Take this..find a cheap, but reliable car, get in it and drive as far as you can Skylar."

"Dean...I can't."

She jumped as he slapped the table and leaned forward. "You have a price on your head Skylar. They won't stop until you are dead. I'm gonna go in the bathroom and when I get out, I don't expect you to be here." He slid out of the booth as he yanked Skylar to her feet. He brought her in for a kiss and then he whispered in her ear. "I will find you"

Not chancing a look back, Dean turned from her and walked down the hallway to where the bathroom were located. He stood at the sink, his hands gripping the sides, his head dipped down, with this green eyes closed. He stood like that for a good twenty minutes before he moved for the door. Twenty minutes was a good amount of time for her to leave.

When he noticed the table was empty, he was surprised at how disappointed he felt. OF all the times for her to be stubborn...he let out a sigh as he threw down two $20s and a five, waved to the waitress, grabbed a toothpick and walked outside of the diner to his car. He placed the toothpick in his mouth as he slid his wallet back into his jacket, took out his keys and looked up at his car.

She was leaning up against the car, her foot perched behind her, resting on the chrome grill. She leaned backwards, her elbows on the hood and a shy smile on her face. "before you get mad, here me out." She raised up off the hood and slowly approached him. When she reached him, she placed her hands on his chest, roe up on the tip of her toes and lightly kissed him. "We have a few hours before Sam arrives. I will be gone way before that, but, Dean, please. " She pulled back and looked into his eyes, then leaned her mouth near his ear. "I want you to make love to me."

"Alright..let's go back..."

"No," She placed her finger on his lips as she gazed back up at him, her eyes dark. She slid her teeth out and snagged her bottom lip as she smiled. 'No.."

It took him a second to comprehend what she meant, then when it dawned on him, he let out a growl as he picked her up off the ground and carried her to the backseat of the car.


End file.
